


Of Black and White

by Ozma



Series: Ascians and Babies [2]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Ascian, Babies, Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-02
Updated: 2018-01-02
Packaged: 2019-02-27 08:13:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 523
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13244169
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ozma/pseuds/Ozma
Summary: Elidibus makes a distressing discovery. Fluff.





	Of Black and White

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to the lovely Zahira for this idea.
> 
> This might at a later time become a series of oneshots.

His greetings are smoke and laughter, light and airy both, each bearing a unique flavor bespeaking their creator.

The sun’s final crimson streaks peek through open windows, their red glow soon to be banished, replaced by the moon’s pale rays.  The breeze promises a warm night.

“Daddy!”  Though hardly soft-spoken, Cebalrai’s giggles do little to disturb his mother, supper preparation and the tabletop orchestrion’s classic piece occupying her full attentions. “Daddy look!” Seemingly anticipating Elidibus’ arrival, Cebalrai proudly offers an unfamiliar doll up for inspection. “’s you.”

Clad hood to boot in yarn of black, bearing a familiar mask of red, there’s no doubting the identity of the individual the doll is meant to emulate – and it most certainly is not Elidibus.

Proud as Cebalrai’s declaration might be, such misconceptions cannot be suffered to continue. “Where did you get this?”

“Miss Tarutaru made it to go with mommy. See?”  To demonstrate, he picks up a familiar toy – well-loved and worn from countless nights as a comforting companion – and places it by Lahabrea’s side, across from a larger stuffed behemoth. In unison, Lahabrea and the Warrior of Light banish the fiend, aided by extensive vocal spell effects from their owner.

With such passion in Cebalrai's demonstration, Elidibus must needs choose his words with care.

“Not to disparage such fine craftsmanship, but it doesn’t seem quite right.” Elidibus kneels so that his son might have a clearer view for comparison.

“’s black!” Even before Elidibus finishes placing the toy beside him, Cebalrai notes the distinction between toy and father, surely aware of the difference as soon as it was received. 

“That’s it?”  So near that his light breaths billow Elidibus' hood, Cebalrai’s tiny fingers trace the outline of Elidibus’ mask before trailing down his chest, following the path of ceremonial ornamentation; it seems Elidibus’ lessons about searching for shrouded truths have been well heeded. “And ‘is mask! Oh! and purple. . .”

Cebalrai’s lips quiver as he understands his mistake. “. . .’s not daddy. . .”

His devotion endears as much as his mother’s; Elidibus lifts the child’s face, so that he might meet his eyes. “But he is like us, nonetheless.  We share a purpose.”

“Purr-puss? But daddy never wears black.”

“No.” He agrees. “The colors we wear signify our role. Unukalhai wears white, as he shares my -our – role.”

“. . .don’t get it.” Still so young, Cebalrai’s comprehension remains understandably limited, but Elidibus has ever been a guide, his son the most important student of all.

“Everything has a role. The cup holds water, the bowl holds soup.  But the cup might instead hold juice, the bowl mayhap bears fruit. They are made for their purpose, as we are made for ours, but their roles differ.” 

“What’s our purr-puss?”  Cebalrai’s attentions remain apt, though confusion blossoms in his breast, birthing boredom and distraction.

Leaving the babe to his games, Elidibus imparts his final lesson.

“We serve the One True God.”

“Hmm. . .’kay.”  Even if Cebalrai is too young to ponder Lahabrea – of their roles and purposes, of white and black – in time his curiosity get the better of him, as it does every mortal.

Elidibus needs only to wait.


End file.
